Lawler on JR, Foley, Jericho incident

The Sun in the UK has an interview up with WWE Hall of Famer and Monday Night Raw commentator Jerry “The King” Lawler. Here are some of the highlights.

On teaming up with Jim Ross as the Royal Rumble:“It was fun ? JR and I have a great rapport and a great relationship. A lot of people say ?I bet you really miss JR now he’s on Smackdown?, but the truth of the matter is we still get to see each other quite often. We also talk on the phone and we text. But by the same token, I tell everyone I really enjoy working with Michael Cole as well. Michael might be a little easier, maybe a little less demanding than JR. JR is so passionate, and such a huge fan which is a great. It’s what makes JR one of the best in the business. But because of that he?ll want us to go to production meetings and run through things. Whereas Michael and I like to show up and go in and get the thing done and head out as quickly as possible. And I know that may sound like we?re slackers, and taking the easy way out, but the truth of the matter is it works better for me in the way that I do my job. I don?t want to go to production meetings and I don?t want to be too prepared. I like to watch the matches like a fan. I like to be surprised by the things I see. I like to not know what’s going to happen next. I feel like my commentary is more honest that way ? it’s more sincere in the way that I?m as surprised as the fans are!”

Reaction to Mick Foley not enjoying his time announcing in WWE and Vince McMahon yelling in his headset:“Let’s face it, Vince is the man who owns the company and he has definite ideas about how he wants things done. And if you do something that he doesn?t approve of, then he’s going to let you know it. I don?t know if I?m fortunate, or if Vince is just a big fan of my work, but he absolutely in the 15 years of me doing it has never ever yelled at me. Not even once. I was surprised when I heard that from Mick. But Vince has a direct line to every announcer. If we?re doing a broadcast and Vince wants to say something to me, Michael Cole doesn?t hear it, and the same goes with Michael Cole. So occasionally, after a show, Michael will say: ?Oh man, Vince yelled at me when I screwed this up.? But if you?re out there doing a good job, and saying what you?re supposed to say, he’s not going to yell at you!”

On the Chris Jericho incident in Canada:“I have not seen it but I heard them talking about it last week at the show ? Vince was kinda chuckling about it. Vince and I were talking and Jericho walked by and he said: ?Watch out! Jericho will hit you! He?ll knock you right down!? Then he adds: ?Especially if you?re a girl!? Everybody is having a joke about it and to me it’s not a big deal, because that used to be very prevalent in the past. We used to be able to get the fans so riled up that they literally wanted to physically attack you after the matches. That hasn?t happened in a long time, so it’s almost like hats off to Chris Jericho ? for doing his job. He’s being the best bad guy that he can be. And it’s working as he’s making the people so mad at him that they want to get physical with him themselves.”